


Love: A Script

by lostmagician



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Bickering, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, Humor, M/M, Resorts & Spas, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:07:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28944174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostmagician/pseuds/lostmagician
Summary: Daniel wins a five-day trip to a wellness resort, all expenses included. He's really looking forward to it. Life has been stressful, and heneedsthe vacation.But his excitement fizzles out when he runs into the last person he wants to see. Even more so when Johnny's ex shows up, and Johnny asks Daniel to pretend they're boyfriends.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 135
Kudos: 243





	1. The Set-Up

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you poetdameron for your wonderful support, and for encouraging me to work on this story.
> 
> This is going to be a fun one! The resort is inspired by a [real place](https://www.google.fr/travel/hotels/golden%20door%20spa/entity/CgoIyZKYnsbJmtIzEAE/photos?g2lb=2502548%2C2503781%2C4258168%2C4306835%2C4317915%2C4328159%2C4371335%2C4401769%2C4419364%2C4463263%2C4463666%2C4464463%2C4482194%2C4482438%2C4270859%2C4284970&hl=en-FR&gl=fr&un=1&q=golden%20door%20spa&rp=EMmSmJ7GyZrSMxDJkpiexsma0jM4AkAASAHAAQI&ictx=1&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwjIirad2rLuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBQ&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&hrf=KhYKBwjlDxABGB4SBwjlDxABGB8YASgA) in California. Check out the photos. They're fabulous.

He got the email on a Monday morning. He was in bed scrolling through today’s news, when the notification appeared at the top of the screen.

_You are the winner of_ _…_

He clicked on it, and made a sound when he landed on a fancy-looking email. It was a five-day trip, all expenses paid, to a wellness retreat in Santa Rosa. Daniel vaguely remembered filling a form at the mall. Something about _winning the trip of your dreams._

Now, he clicked on the link at the bottom of the page. The website showed a luxurious resort with 5-star accommodation. He looked through pictures of Japanese-style gardens, bamboo-wood lodges, and luscious greenery. His eyebrows flew up as he read through the long list of activities available. Yoga, fitness classes, gardening, hiking, tennis, meditation. There were even pain empowerment classes.

He was about to click for more information, when the screen blared with his alarm clock.

Daniel sighed. He turned it off and dragged himself out of bed. He didn’t have time to fantasize about a vacation, not when Miyagi-Do was finally kicking off the ground. The students were trickling in, and he barely had time for himself with the way things were going.

In the morning, he had class with the advanced kids. He spent twenty minutes before class fielding parents’ questions. Mason’s mother drilled him over a fight that her son had gotten into at school. He tried to explain that karate was about defense, not offense, but she didn’t want to hear any of it.

When class finally started, he was on edge. He took roll call, and tensed even more when two students turned out missing.

Lunch was quick: a chicken sandwich and chips, while he worked on his lesson plan for the afternoon. Halfway through his meal, he got a call from the divorce lawyer, asking for a detailed inventory of the house _(don’t worry, Miyagi-Do is yours, but we need this information for the case)_ Daniel clenched his jaw, but promised that he’d look into it.

The afternoon was just as busy as the morning. A bunch of thirteen year olds who watched way too many Jackie Chan movies, and thought that karate meant kicking people in the face. This time, there were three students missing.

_I heard that Cobra Kai did another demo at the mall,_ one of the kids whispered to another. All at once, the kids started talking among themselves. Daniel called them back into order, and began the lesson.

By the time evening came, he was so exhausted he could barely think straight. Sam came over, and he ordered Chinese take-out.

But as they sat down on sofa and had dinner, Daniel couldn’t get himself to perk up. He moved his spoon through the wanton soup, and only half-listened to Sam talk about her creative writing class.

“Are you okay, Dad?” A voice pierced through his thoughts. He looked up, and Sam’s lips quirked in a small smile. “You look tired.”

Daniel sighed. “I’m sorry. I had a long day.”

“No, it’s all right,” Sam said, putting her empty bowl on the coffee table. She’d already finished eating. “Everything going okay at the dojo?”

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

“Really? Because you seem a little down lately” Sam bit her lip. “Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe I can drop by every Friday and—”

“No,” Daniel said suddenly. When he saw her face fall, he softened his tone. “I’ll work it out, honey. You just focus on college.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asked, her eyebrows knitting together. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m worried about you.”

Daniel looked away. He was her father. He was supposed to do the worrying, not the other way round.

Not for the first time, he wondered how Amanda was doing. He’d always been too afraid to ask, because he didn’t think he could handle the answer. Had Amanda moved on? Is that why Sam was asking him all these questions?

As he stared at the blank television screen, he realized one thing though: Sam was right. He couldn’t continue like this. At this rate, he was going to be burnt out by the end of the month.

“Maybe I should take a vacation,” Daniel said without thinking.

Sam suddenly gasped.

“Oh my God, Dad,” she said, leaning forward and shaking his elbow. “That’s exactly what you need.”

“You think so?” Daniel asked uncertainly.

“Yes. Where would you want to go?”

“I was thinking... Santa Rosa?”

Sam’s forehead furrowed in confusion. So, Daniel told her all about the email he’d received in the morning, and what he’d seen online about the resort. When he was done, her eyes lit up like the sun.

“That sounds amazing. You should totally go, and you know what? Midterms are in two weeks. It’s the perfect time for you to take a vacation.”

“Yeah?” Daniel said, before going quiet. She must have realized he needed time to mull it over, because after a few moments, she moved onto a different subject.

Afterward, she helped him clean up the food in the kitchen. She grabbed her purse and headed toward the door.

“I’ll call you next week,” Sam said, hugging him. When she stepped back, she raised her eyebrows. “You better reserve that trip.”

“I will,” Daniel said.

She nodded, and turned around. Daniel waited until she got into the car and drove away. Then, he went inside, washed up and got ready for bed.

As he lay in the darkness, he pulled up his phone and looked at the website again.

Maybe a vacation wasn’t a bad idea after all.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

It was meant to be a five-hour trip from the moment he left the house to his arrival at the resort.

Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong.

First, he didn’t hear his alarm clock. When he woke up and realized what time it was, he scrambled out of bed, got ready in record time and jumped into a cab—only to be stuck in traffic for half an hour, almost missing his flight. The lady at the counter refused to let him past the gate, until the manager took one look at him and said, _Hey, aren’t you the guy from that kung-fu dealership?_

Daniel gave a frayed smile, and he was let in. He spent the entire flight, nodding at the little old lady who showed him pictures of her grandchildren, and went into great detail about the bunion on her foot.

So, when Daniel finally arrived to the resort, he was a hot and sweaty mess. He didn’t care about admiring the entrance of majestic golden doors, or the beautifully-laid path with rocks and oak trees. He just headed straight for the first lodge he could find.

He realized once he stepped inside that it was the reception. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve, and walked up to the front desk.

“Welcome to Golden Lodge,” the receptionist said in a chipper voice. “How can I help you?”

“I have a room under the name LaRusso,” he said, handing over his reservation papers. The receptionist smiled and took them.

“How was your flight?” she asked politely.

“Great,” Daniel replied.

He fanned himself with a brochure, and looked around. The lodge was nice. There was a Japanese style going on with the paper sliding doors, modern carved furniture, and ink paintings on the walls. There were already a few people milling around in the lounge area. He squinted to see if he recognized any of them, but came up short.

At that moment, there was a bustle behind him, the sound of a suitcase rolling on the floor, and a bell ringing. Another receptionist came to the desk.

“Good afternoon, sir,” he said. “How can I help you?”

“Hello. Mr. Lawrence, room for one.”

Daniel froze.

No. No, it couldn’t be.

There was a long mirror behind the reception, and he looked through it. It was Johnny alright, with a tired look on his face and his blond hair sticking up in strands.

Maybe Johnny wouldn’t notice him. There was at least three feet between them. All Daniel needed to do was take his papers, and sneak out from the side. There was no need for them face each other. He was going to get his key card any second now, and then—

“Mr. LaRusso, your suite is ready,” the receptionist said with a smile.

Daniel closed his eyes, and wished the ground would swallow him whole. There was a long silence behind him.

Slowly, he turned on his heel. Johnny’s jaw had gone slack, and his eyes were wide with surprise.

“Shit,” Daniel said.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

They fought all the way down to the suites.

“—why are you even here?”

“I won a prize, asshole,” Johnny said. “What—you think you’re the only who knows how to enter a dumb contest?”

“This is unbelievable.”

“You think I did this on purpose?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you," Daniel snapped.

Johnny scoffed. “You gotta be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

“No, I’m not,” Daniel shot back. “This was supposed to be my vacation—” He stuttered to a stop when the wheel of his suitcase got stuck between two floorboards. “It was supposed to be my first getaway—” he pulled and pulled, trying to make it budge “—since the divorce and—”

Johnny rolled his eyes. Without letting go of his bag, he came directly into Daniel’s space, wrapped his hand around the handle and yanked it out in one swift move.

Daniel threw him a dirty look.

“Since when do you care about wellness and taking care of yourself?”

“What, you think I’m some kind of caveman?” Johnny snapped.

Daniel’s eyes traveled over him, from the _Kicks Get Chicks_ t-shirt to the faded jeans and socked feet in sandals. He barely managed to hold back a scoff.

He continued down the path, until he arrived to Suite 14 in the Azaelia Courtyard.

“Whatever,” Daniel said. “This is my room.”

“Fine,” Johnny said, not sparing him a glance. He continued to walk down the path, and Daniel was relieved to see the back of him...

Until Johnny stopped next door.

_Of course,_ their rooms would be next to each other. Daniel angrily took out his key card.

“I better not hear you snore at night,” Johnny said, swiping his card and kneeing his door open.

“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel snapped, as he entered his room and slammed the door behind him.

He dropped his suitcase on the floor and took a deep breath, then another. He didn’t know how Johnny still managed to rile him up after so many years. It’s like they were seventeen again, and fighting over the stupidest things.

Now, Daniel made an effort to release the tension from his body. He was here to enjoy his vacation, not linger on old hurts.

He distracted himself by taking a look around the room. It was as luxurious as it had been on the website. There was a queen-sized bed, draped in silk, that looked comfortable and inviting; and the rest of the furniture was just as opulent, a mix of cream colors and mahogany veneers.

The thought of Johnny drifted through his mind again, but this time, it was easier to let go. Just because Johnny was here, didn’t mean they had to see each other. The resort was 40-acres wide, there was more than enough room for them to avoid each other.

He headed for the bed and sat down on the mattress, testing the springs. That’s when he noticed the envelope on the pillow. He picked it up and opened it.

_Dear Mr. LaRusso,_

_On behalf of our entire staff, we would like to welcome you to the Golden Lodge. We_ ’ _ve reserved a welcoming buffet for you tonight at 7 pm. You can find directions to meet us at the Wisteria Lounge._

Daniel checked his watch. There were still two hours until dinner. More than enough time to unpack and take a shower. And then maybe he could walk around, and explore the place a little more.

He nodded to himself. That sounded like a good plan. So, he lifted himself off the bed and got to work.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

The Wisteria Lounge was situated close by, but Daniel didn’t care. He grabbed a map and walked in the opposite direction.

There were enough signs to find his way, but the map allowed him to locate all the other facilities nearby. There was a fitness courtyard, a watsu pool, a spa, a prayer rock, a tennis court, bamboo gardens, more spas. The sun had begun to set, but he could easily make out the area, thanks to the hanging lanterns on the lodges.

He snapped a few pictures along the way, and sent them to Sam. A few seconds later, his phone pinged.

_> > Awesome! So glad you made it!_

Daniel’s lips pulled into a smile. He walked around a while longer, admiring the view. By the time he neared the lounge, it was past seven. He folded the map and stuffed it in his back pocket.

The Wisteria Lounge was a big room with a high ceiling and dark bamboo floors. Buffets lined the walls in a wonderful assortment of colors and delicious smells. His stomach growled in anticipation. There were already guests mingling on the floor, so he made his way through the crowd, careful not to jostle anyone.

He was so focused on avoiding an old man in a wheelchair, that he didn’t pay attention to the woman stepping in front of him. He walked directly into her.

“Sorry,” Daniel said, holding her back by the arm. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, before laughing. She had a cute gap in her front teeth. “Don’t worry about me. Excited about the buffet?”

Daniel dropped his arm, and broke into a smile. “Is it that obvious?”

“You looked like a man on a mission,” she said, her eyes twinkling. She jerked her head in direction of the buffet. “You should try the crab. It’s really good.”

Then, she winked at him, and disappeared into the crowd. Daniel didn’t move, too surprised by the warm feeling in his chest. When he snapped out of it, he headed toward the buffet. The crowd had dispersed, so he easily grabbed a plate. He was about to peruse the table when he heard the sound of a microphone tapping.

He turned around. There was a stage at the far end of the room. A short, wiry man stood there with a microphone.

“Welcome, everybody. I’m Paul Rolff, managing director at the Golden Lodge. We’re so glad to welcome you here in this paradise on Earth. As you’ll soon see, we have many fun and relaxing activities planned for you, and the best part is...” He dropped his voice to a stage whisper. “You don’t have to do any of them.”

The crowd laughed, and Daniel found himself chuckling too. His eyes connected across the room with the attractive woman from earlier. She gave him a little hand wave, and Daniel felt his face flush. He returned his attention to the speech.

“... your own schedule. Whether it be a massage in the Bath House, or fruit-picking in the Orange Groves. A game at the tennis court, or a lazy lounge by the pool. Everything has been conceived to make you feel at peace.” He gave a last winning smile. “Now, please enjoy your meal tonight, which was prepared with fresh, organic ingredients from our own gardens. Good evening!”

Everybody clapped, before quickly quieting down. Daniel turned back toward the table. Remembering the woman’s words, his eyes zeroed in on a crab and cream cheese appetizer. He picked up a pair of tongs and just as he reached for a piece, a hand snatched it away.

He whipped around. Johnny had taken it, and was now chewing with his mouth open. The asshole hadn’t even bothered to change his shirt.

“ _Excuse_ me,” Daniel said.

“What?” Johnny asked in a careless tone. He licked his fingers, and reached for another appetizer.

“You’re not supposed to touch them with your hands.”

“Whatever, this party’s a bore.” Johnny looked down at the appetizer. “What is this? Chicken?” He raised it and stuffed it in his mouth. “Did you hear what Bob The Toupé said?”

“It was a good speech,” Daniel said, not bothering to correct him on the name.

Johnny snorted. “Of course you’d think that.”

Daniel ignored him, and returned to the buffet. There was an eggplant hummus that looked divine. He picked up the spoon, and scooped some into his plate.

“So, how’s the dojo going?” Johnny asked.

He didn’t say anything, just reached for a slice of pita bread.

“Getting more students?”

Daniel grabbed a lemon wedge, and placed it next to the hummus. He could feel an angry flush rise up this cheeks.

“Mmhh…” Johnny continued. “That bad, huh?”

He slammed his plate down. “Would you just go away? Some of us are trying to enjoy a meal over here.”

Johnny was about to reply something, when a voice called out from behind them.

“Johnny?”

They turned around at the same time, and Daniel felt Johnny go very still against him.

A man stood ten feet away, dressed in jeans and a white button-down shirt. Daniel never thought he’d be thinking this word about another man, but he looked _rugged_ with a short beard, and salt-and-pepper hair carefully styled to one side.

“Eric,” Johnny said.

The man’s smile brightened at the mention of his name.

“I can’t believe it,” he said, before breaking off into laughter. He came closer, his brown eyes shining with mirth. “It really is you.” He hugged Johnny, who was now stiff as a board, and tapped him on the upper arm before stepping back. “How’s it going? You look— _good_.”

There was something about the way his voice dropped on the last word.

“I’m fine,” Johnny said, more tamed in his response. “You?”

“I’m doing great,” Eric replied with a wide smile. “Still in the motorcycle business. I just opened a new showroom in Anaheim. You should come check it out sometime.”

He paused, when a woman appeared by his side, nodding at them in greeting. “This is my girlfriend Louise.”

“Hello, everyone,” she said with a slight accent. She had soft features, and a round face.

Eric’s eyes returned to Johnny, like he couldn’t look away. “I haven’t seen you since... Man, it’s been what, thirteen years?”

Johnny stuffed his hands in his pocket, and shrugged. “Yeah.”

“So, what have you been up to?”

“I, uh. I run a karate dojo.”

“Wow,” Eric said. Then, his dark eyes fixed on Daniel. “Who’s this?”

As much as Daniel hated Johnny, he wasn’t going to ignore another guest’s question. So, he curled his lips in a polite smile, and stuck out his hand.

“I’m—”

An arm wrapped around his waist, and the next thing he knew, he was being jammed against Johnny’s side.

“This is my boyfriend,” Johnny said, and then after a beat, “Daniel.”

Daniel’s smile froze.

It seemed like he wasn’t the only one surprised. Eric shook Daniel’s hand slowly, before focusing on Johnny.

“Your boyfriend, huh?” He trailed off, his smile dimming. “I didn’t know you were…”

“Out and proud?” Johnny said, his fingers digging into Daniel’s waist. “Yeah, that’s me.”

Eric bit his lip. “That’s great, Johnny.”

There was an awkward silence during which they stared at each other. Something passed between them that Daniel couldn’t decipher. Then, Eric looked away.

“Okay, well,” Eric said uncertainly. “We’re gonna head in. We had a long flight, and we’re toast.” His voice took a hopeful turn. “See you around?”

Johnny nodded. “See you.”

Eric gave a last smile. Louise said goodbye, and then hooked an arm around his elbow, as they walked away. Just as they disappeared outside, Johnny released Daniel’s waist like he’d been burned.

Daniel let out a long breath. He tried to keep his cool, but it was hard to do, especially with all the blood rushing to his head. He slowly turned toward Johnny.

“Can I have a word with you?” He asked through gritted teeth.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

Daniel didn’t trust himself to keep the volume down in the lounge. So, he walked all the way back to his suite, trusting that Johnny was following him.

He waited until he’d closed the door behind them before whipping around. “What the fuck was that?”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Johnny burst out. “I was nervous, and it’s the first thing that came out of my mouth.”

“That I’m your boyfriend?” Daniel exploded.

“I said I’m sorry,” Johnny said, this time harder.

Daniel placed his hands on his hips, and jerked his head in direction of the door.

“Who is that guy anyway?”

“He’s—” Johnny started, before running a hand through his hair in frustration. “He’s a guy I used to date, okay? A while back.”

Daniel’s jaw snapped shut. Of course, he’d guessed that much, but to hear Johnny say it so clearly was still shocking. He dropped his hands, and shifted on his feet.

“So you’re...”

Johnny raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, you know what?” Daniel asked, swiping his hands through the air. “Doesn’t matter. It doesn’t explain why you told him I was your boyfriend.”

“Listen, you don’t even need to do anything,” Johnny said, taking a step forward. “Just hang around me for a while, and before you know it, the five days will be over.”

“Are you hearing yourself? I’m here on vacation. I didn’t sign up for _any_ of this—”

“What do you want, LaRusso?” Johnny cut him off.

Daniel narrowed his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

There was a determined glint in Johnny’s eye.

“You know exactly what I mean,” he said bluntly. “What would it take for you to pretend for five days?”

Daniel actually took a moment there. He hadn’t thought of this as a quid pro quo. But he realized now that it was the perfect opportunity to ask for what he wanted.

And there was one thing on his mind. Oh, yes... It was the thing that made his blood boil, and his jaw ache whenever he thought about it.

“No more demos at the malls,” Daniel said.

“What?” Johnny exploded. “It’s the only surefire way I can get more students.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“No more demos, or no deal,” Daniel said, and then he remembered something else. “And not just the mall. Not at the All-Valley Fest. Not the park. I don’t wanna see it.”

Johnny worked his jaw back and forth, thinking. There was a tense silence.

“Fine,” Johnny gritted out.

Daniel’s eyes darted over him.

“Also, don’t wear that stupid shirt again. It’s dumb.”

“Hey!” Johnny said, clutching his shirt protectively.

“Fine. Keep the shirt, but if I see you wearing socks with sandals again, I’m out.”

Johnny looked down sullenly at his feet. After a while, he raised his head and nodded.

“So, we have a deal?” Johnny asked, extending his arm. Daniel looked down at the hand.

_What are you doing?_ the little voice screamed inside of him. _Are you crazy? You can_ _’t seriously be thinking about doing this._

He took Johnny’s hand.

“Deal.”


	2. First Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're wondering, [this](https://64.media.tumblr.com/c7be77fcd5891ade2dc151e9b65a61a1/4ae7382583f89081-ab/s500x750/43e39116bd46ed90489712ff1a92d0f9304a3110.gifv) is how I imagine Eric, and [this](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0yuus8H6C1qahtbuo1_500.gif) is his girlfriend Louise.
> 
> Thank you Rynnsama for helping me out with part of this chapter.

The next morning, he woke up slowly, drifting in that hazy place between sleep and consciousness. It was peaceful, relaxing—but little by little, he became aware of the sunlight burning against his eyelids, the morning heat on his face.

He stretched his back until his spine popped, and blinked away the last remnants of sleep. That’s when the memory of the night before came rushing back.

The buffet. Johnny. Eric. The deal.

He groaned and pushed his face into the pillow. Now, after a full night’s sleep, he was half-convinced that it had all been a dream. Johnny had asked _him_ to pretend they were boyfriends? Why would he want anything to do with Daniel? Sure, they’d reached some kind of understanding this past year, leaving each other alone for the most part. But still, that didn’t make them friends by any stretch.

The more he mulled it over, the more he realized how crazy it was. Even more crazy was the fact that he’d said yes.

Daniel sighed. He was already regretting his decision, but it was too late to backtrack now. His eyes traveled to the bedside table, where he’d placed the notebook that Sam had gifted him. He’d spent the night before jotting down all the activities that interested him, and making a tentative schedule.

He didn’t know what being a boyfriend entailed, but maybe it was better for him to continue the day as if nothing had happened. With that resolve in mind, he jumped out of bed and got ready.

It seemed like the Wisteria Lounge was only used for the welcoming buffet. The rest of the meals were served in the Dining Room in front of the Azaelia Courtyard. Though when he arrived, he realized that the name was a bit of a understatement. The Room was a big old-fashioned lodge with indoor and outdoor seating. There were fancy wooden tables and chairs scattered throughout the place.

Daniel reserved himself a seat outside by placing his notebook on a table, and then headed for the buffet. He tried to sample as many foods as he could: baked egg Danish, olive roast potatoes, sautéed spinach and mushrooms, croissants. His stomach was grumbling by the time he went back to his table.

He sat down and spread a napkin on his lap, his mouth already watering. God, he’d barely eaten the night before. He picked up his fork, ready to dig in, ready to _eat_ —when a figure plopped in the seat in front of him.

It was Johnny. Daniel’s jaw went slack. Where the hell had he come from? Daniel looked over him. There were bags under his eyes, and sunglasses pulled back in his hair.

“What are you doing?” Daniel asked.

Johnny hummed in question, before shoving scrambled egg into his mouth. Daniel’s eyes dropped to his food, a mountain of egg, bacon and hash browns. It looked like he’d sped through the buffet and dumped whatever he could find in his plate.

“Johnny,” Daniel said, hard. “Why are you sitting here?”

He paused, and squinted at Daniel.

“Didn’t we make a deal?”

Daniel raised his eyebrows. “Yes, but there’s no one here.”

Johnny scoffed. “Do I really want to take the risk? What if Eric passes by? What then? How am I supposed to explain us eating at separate tables?”

He made a good point. Daniel worked his jaw, and looked away.

“Fine,” he said.

“Good morning,” a waiter appeared at their table. “Would you like a drink?

Daniel forced a smile on his lips. “I’d like a pomegranate juice, a glass of water, and a coffee with milk, no sugar.”

“Perfect,” the waiter said, before turning to Johnny. “What about you, sir?”

Johnny was staring at Daniel, his forehead furrowed in disbelief. Finally, he snapped out of it and glanced at the waiter.

“Coffee,” he said. “Black.”

The waiter nodded, before walking away. Daniel picked up his fork, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, the drinks came, and Daniel opened up his notebook with one hand, while he sipped his coffee with the other.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Johnny said around a mouthful of bacon.

“ _I_ have a plan,” Daniel said absently. He’d torn out the pages from the brochure, and filed them neatly in the notebook. “You can make your own schedule.”

“What are we, in high school?” Johnny asked. He leaned forward, and snatched the notebook out of Daniel’s hand.

“Hey!” Daniel said.

He tried to snatch it back, and Johnny pulled away, his eyes fixed on the page.

“Yoga? You’re gonna do _yoga?_ ”

“It’s good for the body and the soul,” Daniel said, quick to defend himself.

“Well, it’s not good for me,” Johnny said, still frowning in bewilderment. He scoffed. “I’m not gonna do some stretching exercises for _girls_.”

Daniel stared at him for a beat.

“Uh, you’re not coming with me.”

“We’re a couple,” Johnny said as though that explained everything.

“And plenty of couples do separate activities,” Daniel replied. “You know what? It’s even healthy.”

He tried to snatch the notebook again, but Johnny leaned back.

“No come on, look at this,” Johnny said, pulling out the brochure. He tapped his finger on the fitness section. “There’s an activity called Eagle Hike. That’s a badass name for a hike. We can do that instead.”

“No,” Daniel said, and then in a slow voice. “If you want, you can do the hike. But I’m doing my yoga.”

Johnny’s eyes flashed in annoyance, and he looked like he was about to argue—when his forehead smoothed out, and his voice dropped to a seductive purr.

“Come on, babe,” Johnny said. He leaned forward and wrapped a warm hand around Daniel’s wrist. “Let’s not fight over this.”

Daniel’s mouth fell open. He was too shocked to reply, and there was a tight feeling in his stomach. He looked down at the hand, distantly realizing how Johnny’s dwarfed his, when a shadow fell upon the table.

“Good morning,” a voice said above them.

Daniel blinked up. It was Eric. He was dressed in a blue jogging suit, and carrying a small bottle of water. He smiled down at them.

“How are you guys doing?”

“Great, just finishing up,” Johnny said, flashing his teeth. “And you?”

“Good, good.” Eric said, placing his hands on his back, and stretching deeply. “I was hoping to have a quick run after breakfast, but a part of me wants to go back to bed. Man, those beds are amazing, aren’t they?”

Johnny made a rough sound in his throat, that sounded like a laugh.

“I wouldn’t know,” he said, before winking at Daniel. “Someone kept me up all night.”

Daniel almost slapped him.

“Oh,” Eric said, and then he chuckled. “Okay.” He raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “Have you guys decided what you’re doing this morning?”

Johnny’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, we decided we’re going on the—”

“Yoga,” Daniel cut in.

They both looked at him in surprise, and Daniel felt Johnny’s nails dig into his wrist. For some reason, it only made Daniel bolder. He plastered a pleasant smile on his face.

“We’re going to do yoga,” he said again.

He was surfing on the sweet satisfaction of finally sticking it to Johnny, when Eric’s smile widened.

“What a coincidence,” Eric said, putting a hand on his chest. “Us too.”

Daniel’s heart dropped.

“What?” he croaked.

“Yeah, we love yoga,” Eric said, bouncing on his feet. “We both got our certifications last year. Louise gives lessons at the yoga center once a week.”

“Oh,” Daniel said, because what else was he was supposed to say. “Great.”

“So, I guess we’ll see you there?”

Daniel nodded. Eric gave Johnny a lingering look, before walking away.

Once he was out of sight, Johnny’s smile disappeared and he released Daniel’s wrist. He leaned back into his seat, picking up his fork.

“I told you we should have gone hiking,” Johnny muttered under his breath.

There was a look on his face that spoke volumes. For the first time, it made Daniel wonder why they’d broken up in the first place.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

After breakfast, Daniel went back to the suite to wash up. When he got out, Johnny was already waiting for him, dressed in gray jogging pants and a white t-shirt. Daniel nodded at him, and they continued silently down to the yoga spot.

He’d seen the place the night before, but now in broad daylight, it was even more breathtaking. It was a large circular space on an elevated platform, with a beautiful view of the hills. The beams, the roof, and the floorboards were all made of wood, giving it a rustic air.

There were already dozens of people milling around, with the instructor at the front of the class, welcoming them. Daniel’s eyes landed on Louise, who was grabbing a mat from the sidelines.

“Hey,” Louise said, waving them over. “Eric told me you were coming. This is so exciting, almost like couples’ yoga.”

“Yeah,” Daniel said, grabbing his own mat. “Very exciting.”

She dimpled a cheek, softening.

“Uh oh. You don’t look happy.”

Daniel looked up in surprise, before relaxing into a smile. “No, no, I’m fine—sorry. Just a lot on my mind.”

“Is this one making trouble for you?” Louise said, jerking her head to the side. A fond smile was growing on her face.

Daniel glanced at Johnny, who was staring at the mats with distaste and looking straight-up grumpy now. He held back an amused huff.

“Something like that,” Daniel said, and she winked at him in good nature.

At that moment, Eric showed up at her side, greeting them again.

“Everything good?” he asked, wrapping an arm around Louise’s waist, and kissing her on the cheek.

Daniel felt Johnny crowd closer against his side, pressing their shoulders together. For the next few minutes, they made small talk. Well, it was mostly Daniel and Louise talking, while Johnny and Eric stood silently at their sides. He found out that Louise was from France, and she’d been living in the States for four years.

“Before that, I didn’t know anything about the US, except what for I saw on TV and at the movies.”

“So, when did you learn English?”

“After I came here.”

“Wow, but you speak it so perfectly,” Daniel said, making her blush.

They were interrupted by a small clap, signaling the beginning of class. They removed their shoes and got into sitting positions on the mats, Johnny on Daniel’s right, Eric on his left.

The instructor’s name was Alana. She was an older woman with fine features and gray streaks in her ebony hair. She introduced the class, and went over the philosophy of Vinyasa yoga, mentioning the physical and spiritual benefits of the practice.

“We’ll start the session with a short mantra,” Alana said, her soft voice carrying over in the silence.

She sat down facing them, with her hands on either side of her knees, and chanted a series of _ohms_. Daniel went along, feeling his chest vibrate with every syllable, feeling the words echo in his body.

Then, they moved onto breathing exercises. Daniel tried to empty his mind as best as he could. It had been a while since he’d meditated, so he took full advantage of the cool breeze on his face, the quiet chirps of the birds in the distance.

When Alana was satisfied that everyone was relaxed, she slowly led them through a simple pose routine.

“Take your time,” she said, as she moved into a cow pose. She dipped her spine, while on her hands and knees. “Remember to inhale first, and then exhale slowly as you move into cat pose.”

Daniel felt all the tension leave his body as he arched his back into the exhale.

After a while, she carefully unfolded herself and went around correcting forms, telling them out loud what pose to transition to next. She spent some time helping Johnny. Daniel kept his eyes resolutely in front of him, telling himself he didn’t need to look.

_Keep your feet pointed toward the front... Heels rooted to the earth... Now release your hips...._

After a while, she tip-toed away. They moved to the sun salutations, a mix of lunges and forward bends. He was stretching down into a downward dog position, when he heard a grunt coming from his right. He did the mistake of glancing over.

Johnny was holding the position, but barely. There were sweat stains at his armpits, and his face had gone red from exertion. He let out another grunt, when his damp palms almost slipped on the mat.

The back of Daniel’s neck prickled, as some of the students from the front row turned their heads to investigate the noise.

“Cut it out,” Daniel hissed.

Johnny bared his teeth.

“I can’t,” Johnny said through clenched jaw. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. “I can’t hold it.”

Daniel gritted his teeth and searched for Alana, but she was busy with another student at the front of the class. He turned back toward Johnny.

“You’re going to hurt yourself this way,” Daniel said in a low voice. “You’re going to—” He cut himself off, before letting out a huff. He released his position and rolled to his feet.

He approached Johnny and placed one hand under Johnny’s belly, and one over his back.

“You need to curve your back less.” He pushed against Johnny’s back, feeling the lean muscle under his fingertips. “You’ll hurt yourself if you overarch.”

Johnny grunted.

“Now draw your belly in.” It was soft against his palm. “Keep your tail-bone up in their air, your spine straight. You need to relax, and let all the tension leave your body.”

Daniel felt Johnny slump against his arm. He was hot like a furnace, the heat bleeding through his shirt and onto Daniel’s skin. There was that tight feeling in Daniel’s stomach again. He tried to cover it up by talking.

“Have you ever stretched a day in your life?” Daniel asked.

Johnny panted. “If you count reaching for the beer at the bottom of the fridge.”

Daniel let out a huff. He caught Alana’s eye. She made a sign as if she should come, but he shook his head. They were almost done with the pose anyway. He kept a hand on Johnny’s lower back for a few more seconds, until Alana called the next sequence.

He released Johnny slowly, and returned to his mat. As he got back into position, he heard a chuckle from his left side.

Eric’s lips were stretched in an amused smile.

“He was never the flexible type,” he said, shrugging.

Daniel smiled once before returning his attention to the pose. Something about the comment rubbed him the wrong way.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

Daniel thought that the yoga would have evened the ground between them, but somehow, Johnny only got more annoying after class. He insisted on visiting the bamboo gardens with Daniel, and once inside, he did not. Stop. Talking.

About the movie he’d watched the night before, the old man who stayed in Suite 18 _(he had a Metallica tattoo, rock on dude)_ , his secret trick for not getting charged at the minibar.

Not only that, but he kept mentioning the yoga class at every opportunity.

 _I can_ _’t believe we missed out on a badass hike. All for some girly stretching._

_Yoga? More like no-ga._

_See that chick with the weird-looking toes? I bet that_ ' _s from yoga._

Daniel tried to keep his cool, but it was hard. Johnny was like an oversized puppy, following Daniel around, talking about the most mundane things.

At eleven o’clock, there was meditation hour at the prayer rock. Johnny spent the entire time muttering and rolling his eyes, which meant Daniel couldn’t reach his place of zen. He only got more annoyed.

By the time they walked back to the suite, he was wound up so tight he was going to snap. Johnny was stuck to him, rubbing against his shoulder with every step.

“How do they expect us to go through life’s problems?” Johnny was saying. “By breathing our way through it? This is why today’s generation can’t do shit. Now, if we’d gone hiking on the other hand...”

Daniel clenched his fists, but Johnny stayed oblivious.

“Oh, right, we can’t.” Johnny rolled his eyes. “ _Someone’s_ afraid of heights…”

“For God’s sake, shut up,” Daniel snapped.

Johnny stopped in his tracks. He smirked.

“Hey, man. I’m just saying—”

“That’s not what it is,” Daniel cut him off.

“Then, why—”

“It’s because of my knee, asshole!”

Johnny’s mouth snapped closed. Daniel didn’t have time to register the look of shock on his face, before he went off, fuming.

As he neared the suite, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a message from Samantha.

 _> > Hey, how_ _’s it going?_

Daniel shook his head angrily. He was starting to think he’d made a mistake by coming here in the first place.

· · ──── ·🏯· ──── · ·

Daniel showered, ordered room service and lay in bed for the rest of the afternoon. He watched whatever was on TV, glad to numb his brain for once. But somewhere around the third hour, he realized that he kept getting distracted. He was checking the door every five minutes.

He’d be lying if he said a part of him didn’t feel guilty. He hadn’t mean to snap that way, but damn, Johnny always knew how to get under his skin. Thirty-four years apart, and the dynamic between them hadn’t changed. Johnny was still that bratty, stubborn kid from high school.

At that moment, a ping snapped him out of his thoughts. Daniel grabbed his phone from the nightstand.

_4:00 pm: Mud Bath_

Daniel stared down at the reminder. He’d completely forgotten that he’d reserved a session the day before. He bit his lip, figuring that there was no point canceling now.

He dragged himself out of bed, put on his shoes, and grabbed his key card. He half-expected to find Johnny waiting for him outside, but the area was conspicuously empty.

The Bath House was close to the watsu pool. The lady at the reception offered him a Japanese yukata robe, and he got changed in the dressing room, carefully folding his clothes on the bench. Then, she led him into the courtyard, where single bath tubs were separated by long wooden partitions.

When she left, he stared uncertainly at the tub, but a quick look around told him that he was alone. In a swift move, he removed his robe, and dipped his foot in the bath. It was warm, and thick. He didn’t stop until he was fully submerged in the mud.

There was a bowl of cucumbers on his side. He debated covering his eyes, but finally decided against it. He took a deep breath, and laid back, until the mud reached his chin.

He was close to dozing off, when he heard careful steps coming from the right. After a long moment, Daniel opened his eyes.

It was Johnny, shifting from foot to foot. He’d showered and dressed in casual jeans and a faded t-shirt. He looked uncomfortable, and once again, Daniel was struck with the image of him as a teen. Long fidgety arms, hunched shoulders—like he was full of emotions too big for his skin.

“How did you know I was here?” Daniel asked quietly.

Johnny shrugged. “I remembered your schedule.”

Daniel nodded, before laying back and closing his eyes again. He didn’t know why Johnny was here, and he was too tired to figure it out. He stayed like that for a few moments.

When he opened his eyes again, Johnny was sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, careful to avoid the muddy edges. Daniel could tell the exact moment he saw the bowl of cucumbers. His eyes lit up and he immediately reached for a slice.

“You’re not supposed to—” Daniel started.

Johnny threw the slice into his mouth, and chewed, slowing down.

“What?”

Daniel sighed. “Nothing.”

He made a happy sound, as he ate a few more pieces. “Those are good.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, but they’d be even better with mayo.”

Daniels huffed a laugh.

Johnny paused his eating, and looked up.

“That’s the first time I hear you laugh.”

Daniel’s smile died at once. He pressed his lips together and looked away. He didn’t know what to make of that. The days of carefree laughter seemed so long ago. Ever since the divorce, he couldn’t remember a single day where he wasn’t gloomy or depressed.

“I’m sorry, it’s just—” Daniel shook his head. There was an emotion rising in his throat, he swallowed it down. “Things have been hard lately. I was hoping to catch a break by coming here.”

Johnny hummed, as he stared down at the cucumber bowl.

“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this,” Johnny said.

“No, come on,” Daniel said, shaking his head. “I’m the one who said yes.”

“After I pushed you,” Johnny muttered.

“Hey. Don’t make this something it isn’t. I’m a big boy, I can make my own decisions.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Sorry about the knee,” Johnny said.

Daniel looked up in surprise. It was unexpected, but the truth was he hadn’t blamed Johnny for his injury in a long time. It was a part of his life that he’d accepted.

“Thanks,” Daniel said, and he meant it.

Johnny bit the corner of his lip.

“So you still want to do this?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Johnny’s eyes dropped. “Okay, good.” Then, he spoke really fast. “Because I ran into Eric on the way here, and he wants us to have dinner together tomorrow night.”

He looked sheepish. Against all odds, Daniel found himself chuckling again.

“Fine,” Daniel said, leaning back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! Next chapter: _A Better Portrayal._


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